22/5/2007

Cardiff has been awarded a silver gilt medal at the at the world-famous RHS Chelsea Flower Show for a garden designed by Cardiff Council in collaboration with BBC Wales based on Doctor Who and the Timelord's strong links with the city.

It is the first time that Cardiff Council has exhibited at the show and A Garden in Time which was created by the Council Landscape Officer Mo Dorken and her team features a life-size Tardis with lights and familiar sound effects as its centerpiece.

On one side of the Tardis is a typical garden from the 1960s when Doctor Who first came to our screens, and on the other a contemporary Cardiff garden. The display also features a few subtle artifacts around the garden, including a 1960s Cardiff rugby shirt, a modern Doctor Who figure, and a 1960s Doctor Who annual, with William Hartnell on the cover.

Council Leader Cllr Rodney Berman said, "This is absolutely fantastic news for Cardiff and we are so proud of all the team who have worked hard on A Garden in Time.

"Doctor Who has captured the imagination of the nation and our use of this iconic series in the garden was clearly a hit with the judges. We are delighted to be bringing home a silver gilt medal from Chelsea."

Executive Member for Culture, Leisure and Sport Cllr Nigel Howells said, "This is the first time that Cardiff Council has exhibited at Chelsea and to be given a silver gilt award is amazing.

"This is a testament to all the hard work of garden designer Mo Dorken and her team and follows on from our successes last year when Cardiff won the Entente Florale. Between Doctor Who and our parks team we are ensuring that Cardiff is being put well and truly on the map."

One half of the site shows a typical 1960s urban garden. The design recreates the straight paths and borders which were prevalent in gardens of this period and features shrubs, flowers and a vegetable area.

In contrast, the 2007 garden features a modern ideas and styles which are now easy to create and are included in many modern urban gardens; different planting styles, a water feature and a more relaxed outdoor environment.

The garden also reflects a developing awareness of sustainability; composting waste materials for recycling in the garden, using mulches within plant areas to suppress weeds and retain moisture and selecting plants that can cope with drier conditions, reducing the need for watering.

The two gardens are separated by a narrow band or 'void' created by time travel which forms a transition zone between the two gardens. A Tardis is positioned in this area complete with light and familiar sound. This central area also contain 'shards' representing the 'fraction' of time, but allowing views between the gardens and, together with predominantly silver leaved and wispy foliage, will give an ethereal atmosphere to this central area.